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Villanova
staff to row in Dragon Boat Festival
Megan Armstrong '06
On Saturday, Oct. 2, two teams comprised of Villanova
staff members, families and friends will compete in the Third Annual
Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival, a one-day regatta held on
the Schuylkill River in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. The Festival is a
fundraising event to benefit research programs at the Fox Chase Cancer
Center of Philadelphia, PA.
Barbara Romagnoli of Villanova’s Registrar’s Office will captain team
“Yao-Shi” (“those who are dedicated to saving lives, healing wounds, and
curing diseases”), which includes Pam Braxton, Florence Cellucci, Pat
Garland, Kathy Liberato and Lindy Rustam, Registrar’s Office; Monica Harrell
and Fran Pardini, Bursar’s Office; and Teri O’Brien, Academic Affairs.
Claire Tatlow of Financial Assistance will captain team “Dragonflies,” which
includes Lorraine D’Alleva and Pat McCabe, Financial Assistance. Each
member will row in honor of a family member or friend who has battled
cancer.
These crews will compete among the 106 teams
participating in this year’s Festival. Each boat will race in three
500-meter qualifying heats and will be seeded accordingly after each heat.
The participants will take to the water in dragon boats, which are typically
red, 40-foot long vessels boasting a dragon’s head in the front and a tail
in the rear. These long, slender boats accommodate a team of 22, including
20 paddlers, one steerperson and one drummer.
The Dragon Boat Festival echoes an ancient Chinese
tradition that was born over 2000 years ago. During the summer solstice,
when nature brought disease and death upon the Chinese people, men and women
gathered for a boat-racing celebration to ensure a plentiful harvest. The
race evolved into a symbol of humankind’s struggle against its enemies.
On Oct. 2, these Villanova staff members will join
their teams and the Philadelphia community to fight the enemy cancer. Each
paddler has raised at least $100 for the Fox Chase Cancer Center; those
interested in contributing to this cause can visit the web site
www.fccc.edu/giving and make a
donation to the 2004 Dragon Boat Race. Last year, the Festival contributed
over $143,000 to cancer research; this year’s goal is set at $300,000. The
event is located on the Schuylkill River, Kelly Drive, Philadelphia and runs
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free and open to the public. |
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